ENID — In the pantheon of uncomfortable conversation topics, depression and suicide rank near the top.

When they are discussed, it often is after the fact, when suicide already has claimed a life, or an attempt has left a loved one scarred physically and emotionally. But it is only when we are willing to discuss depression and suicide openly, say mental health professionals that we can hope to prevent more tragic deaths.

Studies indicate suicide remains a serious threat to public health. More than 34,000 Americans claim their own lives each year, and suicide remains the 11th-leading cause of death in the United States, and Oklahoma has the 14th highest per capita suicide rate in the nation.

According to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17.7 percent of students in Garfield County had “seriously considered attempting suicide.” More than 13 percent of students reported they had made a plan for how they would commit suicide. Four percent of students surveyed reported they had attempted suicide once in the past year, and 3 percent reported they had made more than one attempt.

Despite the prevalence of suicide in American society, people predominantly remain reluctant to discuss it or its underlying causes.

Tippi Rasp, a licensed professional counselor for Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma, said people are reluctant to ask their loved ones about depression and even more hesitant to discuss suicidal thoughts.

“Suicide is extremely under-discussed and under-reported in Oklahoma and society in general,” Rasp said. “We don’t like to say the word, medical examiners don’t like to type the word and families don’t want to hear the word.”

She said simply being willing to talk about suicide is the first step to preventing unnecessary deaths.

“We’ve got to start making it part of our vocabulary,” she said. “We don’t hesitate to ask someone how their cancer treatment is going, but we do hesitate to ask someone about their depression.”

“Because we can’t see depression the way we see other illnesses, a lot of people don’t believe it’s real,” Rasp said. “But it is very real, and you need help to recover from serious depression. You would never tell someone to ‘just get over’ their cancer or alcoholism, but that is often the response to depression.”

She said suicide carries a stigma that often prevents people from seeking help for loved ones, or for themselves.

“People often don’t get treatment for their depression because they’re afraid of being looked down on, judged or talked about,” Rasp said. “We like to believe that it couldn’t happen to someone we love, but it can happen, and it does happen right here in our community.”

“We don’t even know how to ask someone about it,” Rasp said. She recommended taking a “straight-on approach” when talking to someone about depression or suicide.

“You just have to be forward, and ask them, ‘Have you ever thought of hurting yourself?’ If the answer is ‘yes,’ ask them if they’ve thought of killing themselves.”

If the answer to that question is “yes,” take the threat seriously and get help immediately, Rasp said.

“If someone says they want to kill themselves, take them to a hospital or counseling agency, and stay with them to make sure they get help,” she said.

Rasp offers a training program through Youth and Family Services designed to help others recognize depression and suicide risk factors, and to get help for those in need. Titled “Question — Persuade — Refer,” or QPR, the program urges its trainees to “ask a question, save a life.” Rasp said simply learning to ask “the suicide question” could be a life-saving skill for parents and a wide variety of professionals, including health care workers, nursing home workers, teachers and clergy.

Anyone interested in receiving QPR training for themselves or a group may contact Rasp at Youth and Family Services, (580) 233-7220 or (580) 747-3851.

Rasp also is working to increase dialogue on depression and suicide through Garfield County Suicide Prevention Task Force, formed with funding last year from United Way. Rasp chairs the task force, which meets once per month.

Task force member Monte Burris, of Anderson-Burris Funeral Home, said she was motivated to join the group because she is familiar with the toll suicide takes on the family members left behind.

“I just felt like I wanted to be involved with the task force because we see after the fact how devastating suicide is for the families,” Burris said.

She said the task force is working to make suicide prevention a common topic, so people won’t be afraid to seek help for themselves or a loved one.

“We’re just trying to get out there and talk about it openly,” Burris said, “and hopefully that will remove some of the stigma so people can get counseling and get the help they need.”

Garfield County Suicide Prevention Task Force will host a candlelight vigil on the Garfield County Court House lawn at 6 p.m. Oct. 6, to remember victims of suicide and to support survivors.

The vigil will include a dramatic performance by the Gaslight Teens on bullying and suicide prevention. For information, call (580) 747-3851.

The candlelight vigil will be held in conjunction with a mental health summit being held at Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid on the same day.

Don Henderson, director of behavioral health for Integris Bass Baptist Health Center, said the mental health summit was organized to address mounting mental health issues in the community and society at large.

“When we look at the struggles and the challenges facing our nation and our community right now, mental health issues are at an all-time high,” Henderson said.

The summit will include a presentation by Dr. Thomas Joiner, a nationally recognized author and clinician in the treatment of suicidal behavior.

Henderson said Joiner’s presentation will be valuable for professionals in the mental health, social work, clergy and education fields, and also for parents the public in general.

“I think his presentation will be such that anybody will be able to understand the principles and take away some good lessons,” Henderson said.

“Suicide touches all of our lives in one way or another,” Henderson said, “and we’re just trying to work hand-in-hand with the community to provide some good training.”